Bhisma Parva, Mahabharata/Book VI Chapter 11
Mahabharata Book VI Chapter 10: English
"Dhritarashtra said,--'Tell me, O Sanjaya, of the period of life, the strength, the good and bad things, the future, past and present, of the residents, O Suta, of this Varsha of Bharata, and of the Himavat-varsha, as also of Hari-varsha, in detail."
"Sanjaya said,--'O bull of Bharata's race, four Yugas set in Bharata's Varsha, viz., Krita, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali. The Yuga that sets in first is Krita. O Lord; after the expiry of Krita comes Treta; after expiry of Treta comes Dwapara; and after that last of all, sets in Kali. Four thousand years, O best of the Kurus, are reckoned as the measure of life, O best of kings, in the Krita epoch. Three thousand years is the period in Treta, O ruler of men. At present in Dwapara, persons live on Earth for two thousand years. In Kali, however, O bull of Bharata's race, there is no fixed limit of life's measure, in so much that men die while in the womb, as also soon after birth. In the Krita age, O king, men are born and beget children, by hundreds and thousands, that are of great strength and great power, endued with the attribute of great wisdom, and possessed of wealth and handsome features. In that age are born and begotten Munis endued with wealth of asceticism, capable of great exertion, possessed of high souls, and virtuous, and truthful in speech. The Kshatriyas also, born in that age are of agreeable features, able-bodied, possessed of great energy, accomplished in the use of the bow, highly skilled in battle and exceedingly brave. In the Treta age, O king, all the Kshatriya kings were emperors ruling from sea to sea. In Treta are
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begotten brave Kshatriyas not subject to any one, endued with long lives, possessed of heroism, and wielding the bow in battle with great skill. When Dwapara sets in, O king, all the (four) orders born become capable of great exertion, endued with great energy, and desirous of conquering one another. The men born in Kali, O king, are endued with little energy, highly wrathful, covetous, and untruthful. Jealousy, pride, anger, deception, malice and covetousness, O Bharata, are the attributes of creatures in the Kali age. The portion that remains, O king, of this the Dwapara age, is small, O ruler of men. The Varsha known as Haimavat is superior to Bharatavarsha, while Harivarsha is superior to Himavatvarsha, in respect of all qualities.'
Mahabharata Book VI Chapter 11: English
1 [धृ]
भारतस्यास्य वर्षस्य तथा हैमवतस्य च
परमाणम आयुषः सूत फलं चापि शुभाशुभम
2 अनागतम अतिक्रान्तं वर्तमानं च संजय
आचक्ष्व मे विस्तरेण हरिवर्षं तथैव च
3 [स]
चत्वारि भारते वर्षे युगानि भरतर्षभ
कृतं तरेता दवापरं च पुष्यं च कुरुवर्धन
4 पूर्वं कृतयुगं नाम ततस तरेतायुगं विभॊ
संक्षेपाद दवापरस्याथ तथ पुष्यं परवर्तते
5 चत्वारि च सहस्राणि वर्षाणां कुरुसत्तम
आयुः संख्या कृतयुगे संख्याता राजसत्तम
6 तत्र तरीणि सहस्राणि तरेतायां मनुजाधिप
दविसहस्रं दवापरे तु शते तिष्ठति संप्रति
7 न परमाण सथितिर हय अस्ति पुष्ये ऽसमिन भरतर्षभ
गर्भस्थाश च मरियन्ते ऽतर तथा जाता मरियन्ति च
8 महाबला महासत्त्वाः परजा गुणसमन्विताः
अजायन्त कृते राजन मुनयः सुतपॊधनाः
9 महॊत्साहा महात्मानॊ धार्मिकाः सत्यवादिनः
जाताः कृतयुगे राजन धनिनः परियदर्शनाः
10 आयुष्मन्तॊ महावीरा धनुर्धर वरा युधि
जायन्ते कषत्रियाः शूरास तरेतायां चक्रवर्तिनः
11 सर्ववर्णा महाराज जायन्ते दवापरे सति
महॊत्साहा महावीर्याः परस्परवधैषिणः
12 तेजसाल्पेन संयुक्ताः करॊधनाः पुरुषा नृप
लुब्धाश चानृतकाश चैव पुष्ये जायन्ति भारत
13 ईर्ष्या मानस तथा करॊधॊ मायासूया तथैव च
पुष्ये भवन्ति मर्त्यानां रागॊ लॊभश च भारत
14 संक्षेपॊ वर्तते राजन दवापरे ऽसमिन नराधिप
गुणॊत्तरं हैमवतं हरिवर्षं ततः परम